Family-based racing teams are a big part of the motorsports world,
and perhaps no more so than

Second-generation racer Cale Aronson is dedicated to Ford and IHRA Pro
Stock competition for the 2009 season.

in drag racing. From Jr. Dragster to Top
Fuel, moms, dads, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, and cousins often
form generations-deep family groups that make up the backbone of the
sport.

A perfect example of a second-generation competitor
following the father-son tradition of advancing to the professional
ranks is Cale Aronson, of Chillicothe, Missouri. 

Aronson,
who campaigns a 2005 Ford Escort in the IHRA’s Pro
Stock category, is the son of former American Hot Rod Association
(AHRA) Pro Stock Champion and International Hot Rod Association (IHRA)
Rookie of the Year Chuck Aronson.

Once again Mother Nature has wreaked havoc on the racers and fans of
the IHRA Summit Pro-Am Tour as a cold and rainy weather forecast has
forced the postponement of this weekend’s IHRA Raiders Pro-Am event in
Mooresville, N.C.
The three-day points meet has been rescheduled one week later on the weekend of April 3-5.

Veteran racer Troy Coughlin kicks off his 2009 campaign this weekend at
Bradenton Motorsports Park with the season-opening seventh annual Ross
Racing Pistons NMCA Muscle Car Nationals, the first of seven races in
the NMCA Edelbrock Drag Racing Series.
 
Following a runner-up finish in 2006, the last year he ran with the
National Muscle Car Association, Coughlin will once again vie for the
title of the quickest and fastest class in NMCA competition, Pro
Street. Utilizing an 830 cubic inch powerplant under the hood of his
brand-new Jerry Haas-built JEGS.com Pontiac GXP, Coughlin plans to
contest all seven races on the schedule in his quest for a world
championship.

The Stratosphere Casino Hotel and Tower will host a special NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series autograph
session featuring the highly-successful Don Schumacher Racing drivers
on Thursday, April 2, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. DSR has chosen The
Stratosphere to provide rooming accommodations for its drivers,
sponsors and team members who are sure to enjoy the many restaurants
and thrilling rooftop rides along with its expansive casino.

In an effort to show its appreciation for those who have volunteered
their service to the U.S. armed forces, Gateway International Raceway
has initiated the “Thank The Military” ticket program. The program
allows fans purchasing tickets to the O’Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals
to donate a ticket to the USO of Missouri who will then distribute the
tickets to area active duty military.

Customers who call 866-35-SPEED to purchase tickets for NHRA Full
Throttle Series qualifying at Gateway on Friday, May 1, whether as a
single-day ticket or as part of the three-day Track Pack, simply has to
tell the GIR ticket representative they want to thank the military and
a ticket will be sent to the USO of Missouri. Gateway has set aside a
total of 1,000 tickets for use with this program.

Miss Monique Vajda, a 4th year apprentice from Chisholm TAFE in
Frankston couldn't believe her luck when she received a call from
Sidchrome informing her she was the winner of the ‘Sidchrome Tradie of
the Year – Win a Day with Bray Promotion’.

Monique spent the week-end with Team Bray at the recent Westernationals
held at the Perth Motorplex in WA. She arrived at the Motorplex at
10.30am on the Saturday was decked out in Team Bray uniform and given
tour of the venue. Team principal Victor Bray very quickly realised
that this young girl had great knowledge, very enthusiastic, a great
passion for cars and the sport of drag racing. So she was promptly
shown the Sidchrome tools and put to work under the guidance the crew
chief.

14-time NHRA Funny Car champion John Force and daughter Ashley Force
Hood are featured in a story written by motor sports journalist Ryan
McGee in the latest issue of ESPN The Magazine on newsstands this
Friday, March 27th.

Longtime Southeast Division Super Gas racer Bobby Brooks died of apparent heart attack March 24. He was 68. Brooks raced his familiar Half-Breed Anglia for more than 30 years. He is survived by his wife, Angie. Funeral services are pending.

Robert Hight heads into this weekend’s NHRA Springnationals in Houston,
sporting a record at Houston Raceway Park that reeks of feast or famine.

In the three years of racing at the facility, he’s only made five passes on Sunday.